The best-selling author of Atonement and Enduring Love, Ian McEwan is known as one of contemporary fiction's most acclaimed writers. This Booker Prize-winning novel by McEwan finds two men connecting at the funeral of their ex-lover. Distressed by how she was slowly destroyed by an illness, the two make a pact to save each other from enduring such a fate.

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Listener Opinions

by Todd | 2/8/2014

" I think I have to go with the consensus view on this one--I've read a number of books by McEwan, and this is the best of the lot. I do a lot of my reading on the Metro these days, and I would get so absorbed in this at times that I would look up from the book, disoriented as to just where I was. Never missed my stop (that's only happened once, while reading Anna Karenina), but I came close a couple of times. "

by Pina | 2/7/2014

" Ian McEwan sure knows how to capture his reader, had me captivated at how family rifts can have devastating consequences they may never be resolved. A really beautifully written book. "

by Patsy Rogers | 2/5/2014

" It was not one of my favorite books. "

by Rohan | 2/1/2014

" At first I didn't really like it because the author spent the first third of the book reviewing the same scenes but from different perspectives, which was what made it really slow, but then when the author really speaks about the horrors of war and relates it all to the previous set of the text and how the childish mistake of one person made caused a nightmarish experience. I absolutely loved how this book was actually how the protagonist was atoning for her sins. "

" Profoundly moving. I can only imagine Cee and Robbie celebrating the zeniths of their love. Having read the book and watched the film created this sudden tinge of regret and remorse and love and forgiveness in me. Atonement is now my favorite. "

Leslie | 1/27/2014

" Started slow, but the last three pages of this book are worth all of it. Loved it. "

Renee Pujols | 1/21/2014

" The beginning of this book is "crap" but if you stay the course, it actually turns out to be a decent story. A roller coaster ride of emotions. I would have given it 4 stats if it weren't for the beginning. "

" I read and studied this at university and fell in love with it. It is deep and multi- layered as is often the case with McEwan's writing. I do recall, however, it was either loved or hated by my fellow students. It's a brilliant piece of romantic war literature in my eyes. "

Alicia | 11/30/2013

" Not worth it. Put it down and walk away. "

Marilaine | 11/27/2013

" The first 80 pages of this book were extremely slow-moving. I was glad I persevered but, overall, I think McEwan sacrificed the plot to the lesson. The approach to the story-line was so oblique that the reader was always wondering where events and people fit in. "

Yvonne Carter | 11/24/2013

" A story line of false accusations, forgiveness, and where it takes peoples' lives. "

Nayera Ahmed | 10/31/2013

" Not a book i liked unfortunately. Made me feel very disgruntled. "

Alina | 6/27/2013

" So boring I couldn't get past the first few chapters! I had to force to read even that much! "

Selma Touati | 4/12/2013

" I've been obsessed by this story long after finishing the book. I guess it's the sign of a good read... "

Gwen Vila | 3/21/2013

" I read for entertainment, and that's what my rating is based on. This book might have great literary value, but I frankly found it kind of slow and boring. "

Deedee Dudley | 7/29/2012

" I loved this book, but I had to read a lot of light, happy stuff after to clear my mind! Such a tragedy, but a wonderful read! "

Kriangkrai Vathanalaoha | 1/31/2012

" What I love most about this book is the "ending". Period. "

Margaret | 12/26/2011

" Very well written account of a regretful decision made by a thirteen year old girl. "

Dariosk | 11/7/2011

" intellectual crap.
not an ounce of life in this book.

if some readers hate romance novels because they're cheap sentimental stuff
they should realise that purely mental books with no real characters or
emotions are just as bad.
"

David Pomerico | 11/7/2011

" This was not my favorite Ian McEwan novel--I just didn't find myself sucked in the same way i was with Saturday or Amsterdam. I wonder if he's just better at short and sweet, and when he goes deeper, he gets a bit too much for me. "

Tarah | 11/3/2011

" Beautifully written, as with McEwan's other novels. Saturday was a shorter novel, too, like this one, but seemed more easily contained. I was less compelled by this novel overall than his other two, but look forward to more.
"

Stuart | 10/30/2011

" I came upon by accident in the UMaine library, but I'm glad I did. A short, interesting and enjoyable novel of intrigue, pride and morality. With the power out for most of the day, reading the book was much more enjoyable than getting caught up on work e-mail.
"

Nancy | 10/20/2011

" Highly over rated. Such shallow, self- centered people. No one I could identify with.
"

Peter | 10/16/2011

" read a bunch of mcewan after I liked atonement...very disappointed in this one, couldn't believe it when I saw it won this award.
"

Ben | 9/26/2011

" Standard beautiful prose from McEwan, not to mention immensely readable. Can't help but feel though, that the rather melodramatic and unrealistic ending spoils what was a beautifully unravelled plot.
"

Caitlin | 9/24/2011

" Well, that was a stretch. The first half was ok, but the end was a major disconnect for me. I do not see how McEwan could justify the events which ended the story.
"

E | 9/15/2011

" Wow. Why don't I read McEwan more often? This reads like a Shakespearean - or, no, more like an operatic (because of the music) plot. The symmetry, the characters, the weighty moral issues and conundrums. I found the descriptions of Clive's music and composition process particularly appealing.
"

Wim | 9/8/2011

" A short novel with a novel ending.
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Jennifer | 9/6/2011

" Can understand why it won the booker. Didn't see the end coming at all. Not sure I really know the end and found that really great. Do we really know what motivates others? Do we really know what happens in real life? It is all so subjective!!
"

Anna | 9/5/2011

" I'm struggling to get into this book. But I love this author , um, A LOT! He is so clever.
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